Living with an Ex-Husband - Chapter 80:

Side story (06)

Eunchae quietly watched Lee Joon as he carefully massaged her feet. She was grateful for his gentle and thoughtful kindness, but at the same time, she couldn’t help feeling a little embarrassed.

“Does it feel good?”

Lee Joon looked up at Eunchae while massaging her feet.

“Yes, it feels really good, but… it’s a bit embarrassing.”

“What’s so embarrassing about it?”

Curious and confused, Lee Joon asked, and Eunchae responded with an awkward smile as she explained the reason.

“As I mentioned earlier, I haven’t washed yet. It’s bothering me, and honestly, it’s embarrassing. Especially on such a hot day.”

“Got it. So, washing is the main issue.”

Nodding in understanding, Lee Joon gently set her feet down and stood up, leaving Eunchae staring at him wide-eyed in confusion.

“Why? Did I upset you?”

“It’s nothing like that, so don’t worry. Just wait here for a second.”

Lee Joon gently pressed a kiss to the top of Eunchae’s head before heading into the bathroom connected to the bedroom. Still confused, Eunchae tilted her head, unsure of what he was planning.

A moment later, he returned, carrying a clear plastic bowl and a towel. Kneeling in front of her once again, he set the bowl on the floor.

“Alright, give me your foot again.”

“Lee Joon….”

Eunchae was at a loss for words, overwhelmed by a mixture of surprise and emotion. The great Tae Lee Joon, kneeling before her to wash her feet—it was something she could hardly believe, even seeing it with her own eyes.

“You’re giving me that look again.”

Lee Joon laughed and gently put his foot in the bowl as if to tell her not to be so shocked.

“Why are you acting like a startled rabbit over something so simple?”

“It’s not something simple.”

Eunchae admitted honestly as she watched him lather her foot with soap. His hands were so big that they made her own feet look small in comparison.

“In the future, this won’t be a big deal anymore. I’ll do it often.”

“Alright, I’ll gladly accept it, so make sure to do it often.”

“Got it.”

Lee Joon replied with a deep, warm smile as he finished washing Eunchae’s feet. After drying them with the towel, he did not hesitate to kiss the top of her foot.

“Lee Joon, stop it. That’s dirty.”

“I just washed them thoroughly, what’s dirty about it?”

Despite Eunchae’s flustered protests, Lee Joon continued, this time placing more kisses on her other foot and ankle, each one done with exaggerated reverence.

“Still…!”

“Do I need to wash them again?”

Realizing that further protests would only encourage him, Eunchae finally gave up. If she kept resisting, Lee Joon might kiss her feet all night long.

“No, it’s fine. Kiss them as much as you want. Are these my lips? No, they’re yours, so go ahead.”

“You should’ve accepted it like that from the start.”

It wasn’t acceptance, it was resignation, Eunchae grumbled to herself as she watched Lee Joon continue kissing her feet. The more she looked, the more unbelievable it seemed.

“Even your feet are beautiful.”

Lee Joon complimented earnestly, staring at her pedicured toes as if mesmerized. After some coaxing from him, Eunchae had gone for a pedicure two days ago, taking a leap of faith.

“How long are you going to keep kissing them?”

Eunchae giggled, wiggling her toes. Every time his lips touched her skin, a ticklish, teasing sensation spread through her. It felt strangely exhilarating.

“I’ll stop here for part one. Part two will be later tonight,” he replied, reluctantly letting go of her foot with a disappointed expression. He took the towel and plastic bowl back to the bathroom.

When he returned to the bedroom, Eunchae was changing clothes.

“Hey, Lee Joon.”

“Yeah, go ahead,” he answered, turning to her as he lowered the sleeves he had just rolled up.

“I handled the guests well today.”

“I know. I got the report.”

Lee Joon responded casually as he followed Eunchae into the dressing room, continuing their conversation.

“Don’t feel burdened or guilty. It’s an apology you deserve.”

Lee Joon said as he unbuttoned his shirt, offering reassurance.

“Yes, that’s why I accepted it without hesitation,” Eunchae replied calmly.

“Good. You did well. I’m proud of you.”

Lee Joon said with a warm smile as he took off his shirt. After giving her a light kiss on the lips, he slipped on a V-neck shirt. While he was changing his pants, Eunchae added.

“I also gave Mom the ultrasound photos from my recent check-up.”

“Really?”

Despite his casual reply, Lee Joon’s fingers momentarily hesitated as he zipped up his pants. However, he quickly fastened the hook and adjusted his outfit, maintaining a composed expression.

As silence settled between them, Eunchae changed the subject.

“Lee Joon, let’s go to the market after dinner.”

“Is there something you need to buy?”

Lee Joon raised his eyebrows in surprise as they left the dressing room together. It was unusual for Eunchae to suggest such an outing, especially since she was often too tired to move much after work. Night outings were extremely rare for her.

“Yes. We’re out of ice cream, and I need to get more prenatal storybooks to read to our little Hope.”

“Got it.”

Now understanding the reason, Lee Joon suggested they have dinner first and take their time afterward. As they finished talking and headed to the dining room, Mrs. Hwang was setting the table.

“Come sit down. The cucumber cold soup turned out amazing today. It’s a masterpiece.” Mrs. Hwang boasted.

“Good… this is delicious.”

Yoon Jung-ik added with a thumbs-up, supporting her self-praise.

“Mother’s cooking is always a masterpiece.”

“As expected, no one appreciates me like my dear son-in-law!”

Pleased by her son-in-law’s compliment, Mrs. Hwang beamed with joy.

“Mom, we’re heading out for a bit after dinner. Is there anything you need?”

“No, don’t worry about us. You two just go and enjoy yourselves.”

She replied with a kind smile as she sat down to serve her husband’s meal.

“I’ll take care of it today, Mom.”

Lee Joon offered, stepping in to assist Yoon Jung-ik with his meal, but Mrs. Hwang waved him off.

“Oh no, it’s fine. You did it a few days ago. You can help next time. Doing it too often might make your father feel uncomfortable. Right, dear?”

She asked as she carefully placed a piece of deboned grilled fish onto a spoon, seeking her husband’s agreement.

Chewing the bite of rice and fish that Mrs. Hwang had fed him, Yoon Jung-ik slowly nodded.

“Ugh..Oh my….It’s okay.”

“Yes, Father. Please enjoy your meal.”

“Lee Joon… my son-in-law…”

“Yes?”

As Eunchae watched the two of them exchange affectionate words, a happy smile spread across her face. Yet, a part of her felt a pang of sadness, realizing only too late just how much Lee Joon had considered her father.

Due to his reserved nature, Lee Joon had always found it hard to approach not just his own family but her family as well.

When Mrs. Hwang had casually mentioned wanting to go on a family trip, Lee Joon had given her an envelope of money in response. His reasoning was that his presence might make the elders uncomfortable, so he decided to quietly contribute instead.

‘It’s hard to make time, and with my personality, I worried that being there might make your parents feel uneasy. But… I didn’t think it through enough. I never realized how much it hurt you. I’m sorry, even though it’s late.’

Hearing Lee Joon’s belated apology, Eunchae felt a wave of relief. She couldn’t help but think back on how much she had resented him without knowing his true intentions.

The most surprising twist was yet to come—what she hadn’t known was that the incident had bothered him deeply. To make up for it, Lee Joon had occasionally visited Yoon Jung-ik, sharing meals and even going to the sauna with him from time to time.

‘I made your father promise not to tell you,’ Lee Joon had confessed. ‘So he reluctantly kept quiet.’

The day Eunchae found out the full story through Mrs. Hwang, she cried her heart out in Lee Joon’s arms.

‘I’ve made you cry again. What will it take to make you smile instead?’

Lee Joon had bitterly consoled her, berating himself as she cried uncontrollably in his embrace.

Reflecting on that moment, Eunchae felt tears welling up in her eyes once more. To hide them, she quickly lowered her face toward her bowl and focused on her meal.

After dinner, the two of them decided to walk to the grocery store as light exercise.

“If you get tired, just let me know.”

“Got it. I’ll hop on your back right away.”

Eunchae replied with a playful smile.

Hand in hand, they walked to the store, chatting about this and that. Another peaceful day in their happy routine.

***

Even before she had left for work, Eunchae’s heart was fluttering with excitement. She could barely focus on her tasks because she was expecting a very special guest later that day.

“Director, your expected guests have arrived.”

Secretary Moon announced with a bright smile. Eunchae’s face lit up as she grinned in delight.

“Please, bring them in right away.”

“Yes, Director.”

After Secretary Moon left, a moment later, Alice walked in, holding Margarita and Daniel in her arms.

“Welcome! How have you all been?”

“We’ve been good! And you, Rachel?”

“Oh my, your belly has grown quite a bit!”

Eunchae exclaimed as they embraced each other, laughing and exchanging hugs. Even little Daniel joined in, giggling excitedly.

“Daniel! How have you been?”

Eunchae gently kissed Daniel’s cheek, smiling at his sweet, innocent laughter. The familiar scent of baby powder and the faint sweetness of milk from him instantly lifted her spirits.

“Wow, the summer weather in Korea is something else. Because of it, Daniel has to play in the water every day just to fall asleep.”

“They’re saying it’s unusually hot this year,” Eunchae replied.

“It feels like I can’t even breathe.”

Alice added, shaking her head. She looked exhausted, clearly struggling with Korea’s humid summer.

Alice handed Daniel a toy, trying to distract him, while Margarita sipped a cool drink and took a moment to relax. Her face lit up as she praised the proposal.

“The proposal you sent was excellent. Apart from one or two minor revisions, I’m really satisfied. The concept was captured perfectly.”

Hearing such high praise brought a smile to Eunchae’s face.

“I’m glad you liked it. I focused on how best to express Henri Sarr’s artistic world.”

Eunchae explained, her tone filled with pride and relief.

“Yes, I could sense your commitment to capturing Sarr’s essence in every part of the proposal. Now I see why Joon was so adamant about waiting for you and no one else.”

Margarita added, not only complimenting Eunchae but also acknowledging Lee Joon’s insight.

With that, the two of them continued discussing the exhibition plans for a while, while Alice wandered through the gallery with Daniel, showing him around.

Once their long meeting wrapped up, Eunchae suggested they go out for a meal together.

“It’s a fusion Korean restaurant, and the food is amazing. Even picky Lee Joon couldn’t stop praising it.”

“Oh my, if it impressed Joon’s taste buds, it must be a real gem!”

Alice’s eyes sparkled with interest, knowing just how discerning Lee Joon’s palate could be.

“You won’t be disappointed. Let’s go.”

Eunchae said confidently as she led the way. Alice, carrying Daniel, and Margarita followed behind with excited expressions. Despite the sweltering heat, their hearts were as warm and joyful as a spring day.